Thank you for joining us this week as we continue our study through Exodus. Now, let’s go with Bible teacher, J Mark, for a closer look at today’s lesson.
Genuine hope can only be experienced when we are in the right relationship with God. Our greatest need is to hear what the LORD has said. The text for the teaching that follows is important because, in it, God commands Israel to make a dwelling place for Him.
Perhaps that sounds strange to you because King Solomon said to God, “the heaven of heavens cannot contain You.” The Prophet Isaiah, speaking for the LORD, said, “The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.” How then could God dwell in a structure made by man?
God planned to live among His people, Israel. We cannot question that the LORD chose a particular people to whom He related in a special way. He is sovereign, He makes His choices, and He doesn’t need to give us the reasons for His choices.
From earlier chapters in Exodus, we saw how the LORD led Israel out of Egypt and brought them to Mt. Sinai. There God led them into a covenant relationship with Him. He needed a people through whom He could reveal Himself to all of humanity. So, Moses on the mountain, in the presence of the LORD, received the instructions for all the details of a place for God to dwell among His people. This place would be called the Tabernacle.
God’s relationship with Israel was to be visible. He commanded Moses to build the Tabernacle with all of its furniture and various vessels as visible proof that God was, in fact, “living” among His people.
Moses received from God the patterns and detailed instructions to present to the people in PREPARING FOR GOD’S DWELLING. In Exodus 25:1-9 we are introduced to the materials.
1. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
2. Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
3. And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,
4. And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,
5. And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,
6. Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
7. Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
8. And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
9. According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
In this text we find the several CONDITIONS which are necessary for any people who desire to prepare a dwelling for God.
First is,
The Condition of the Offeror.
In God’s request for an offering, He included everyone even though He knew only some would respond. However, the heart of the offeror, each one who would give, must be in a proper condition. God appealed to person’s choice and requested the offeror to “give it willingly.” Such a word quickly takes it out of the realm of any kind of taxation. The amount is not stated. The amount is completely decided in the heart of the offeror.
Let’s probe a little farther. At first by referring to “the children of Israel” we might consider the whole assembly for, so it was intended. They were to be the covenant people. Consequently, God was expecting a corporate or group response from the covenant community.
However, another truth comes immediately to the surface when God added “of every man.” The community is made up of individuals, and the final responsibility rests on each person. God understood this most critical situation. Without the cooperation of every person in Israel the preparation for the dwelling would not be complete.
The...
